Farewell 2011

OK, so we can all have the basic and boring New Year resolutions of “lose weight”, “hit the gym”, “smoke/drink less”, “hug grandma more” etc etc, but with 2012 being the year that the world supposedly ends… surely we have to live life to the fullest?? Make the most of every month of our lives and embrace it like it’s our last??

Do you want to know what is Number 1 on my list? Travel more.
And so should yours!

Travelettes has had an amazing year of rolling all over the world and reporting on the weird and fantastic things in the world, so if you’re struggling to think of things to do in 2012, here’s a compilation of what we, the Travelettes, have loved, lived and where we desperately want to go!

Be pampered in paradise and experience the most luxurious hotel that Thailand has to offer: The Sarojin. “If you can imagine it, we can make it happen” is their motto so be prepared to experience Khao Lak’s peaceful haven. Or just take a wander around the capital city that has captured many of our hearts: Bangkok.

Indulge in a lovely soak in a hot tub or Jacuzzi… extrrrreme style!! Why not join the Jacuzzi Association and get hot tubbing inside caves, on the Alps or even suspended from a bridge?? That’s how I’d like to spend my Sunday afternoons. Or how about dip in the epic outdoor pool in Bondi, Sydney? The Icebergs might sound chilly but it’s somewhere you definitely have to check out.

Ahhh Africa and its stunning scenery and wildlife. From Nairobi and its buzzing chaos of assaults on the senses, to the Giraffe Manor where a unique wildlife hotel experience can be had. To safaris on the Savannah and incredible sunrises, to the Mombasa Coast a.k.a. Paradise. What a country!

Klara’s 25 day solo-hike through Iceland has truely opened our eyes to the beauty of the country’s landscape. Her journey was documented through the power of photography and film… and the tales she returned home with proved she is one hell of a woman! Hiking kilometres upon kilometres with camera equipment and fuelled only by porridge?? Cripes.

Bike riding is a favoured past-time of ours… but who knew that so many events on bicycles take place around the world?? Take your pick: either dress to impress on a lovely vintage bike in some tweed attire for the Tweed Run (Tally ho!), or join the Critical Mass huge worldwide cycling event!

Burning Man festival. San Francisco practically empties for this huge festival out in the middle of the Nevada desert where the whole experience is created b y the participants to make an intense and life changing experience. Bring everything you’d need to survive for a week in the desert and be prepared for amazing art work!

Indulge in Cologne’s scrumptious cafes and restaurants, shopping and nightlife. Never been there before? Neither have I, but with this guide I think I’d have a full and hectic holiday of shopping and bar hopping!

Fancy a wander around the top most livable cities in the world? Well, Helsinki and Melbourne are rated the highest. Living in Melbourne, I can totally vouch for it but Helsinki sounds just awesome… get involved in their annual Design Week for as much culture as you can handle.

I know many whom have been and absolutely loved it…. have you been to the LEGENDARY Oktoberfest????? and while you’re there, explore all Munich has to offer.

Tree Camping, sleeping in the airport in a SleepBox, indoor camping, and camping on water are just the tip of the iceberg of things I would love to do in the world. Take inspiration from these and make your own random shelter for the night… be careful though if you want to recreate the Sealander. It won’t be a success if you just dump your caravan in the river.

“How to climb a Volcano” is all you need to know about how to do such a crazy thing, but how satisfying and amazing it is when you complete it and reach the peak! All the blood, sweat and tears make it worth it.

2011 has been an amazing year for travel and seeing the world so if you find yourself bored at ANY point in 2012, just take a browse of travelettes.net and we’ll surely have something for you to try or somewhere for you to go and explore. Who knows where the new year will take us?

Author:

Sophie joined Travelettes back in 2009 after she graduated and fled the UK for exotic adventures! She took on an epic backpacking trip that led her to discovering her favourite city, Melbourne. After a few years frolicking in Australia, she finally returned back to England. She whiles away her time planning European escapes, crocheting, and daydreaming of escaping to SE Asia & living in eternal summers. See what else she's up to on her blog Saints on a Plane. Sophie reads emails at sophie@travelettes.netWebsite: http://www.travelettes.net